Have you ever thought about the keywords you enter when you’re searching for an image on Google? Have you ever thought about putting those keywords to use in your own blog? If you do it right, your images can show up in the searches and lead a lot of visitors to your site. So why not? Learn how to properly tag your images to get in on the advantages!
It’s not complicated and it takes hardly any time at all to add the proper coding to your images, and the few seconds you do take to do this will pay off when your blog gets more clicks through image search!
Make sure your SRC is right. That’s basically the URL/link to the image. Then make sure you specify the height and width of the image. Now the most important parts… The Alt tag is where you describe your image, and where the keywords are. Then title your image. I usually make the title about the same thing as the Alt tag. This helps to ensure the quality of the image you’re providing. So, when it’s all put together, what’s it look like? Here’s my image example (it’s my kitten!):
And here’s what I created the code for it to be:
<img src=http://superbloggingtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/kenya-smokey-me-001.jpg alt=”Tortoise Shell Kitten Mix in Sink” title=”Tortoise Shell Kitten Mix in Sink” height=”300″ width=”350″>
Easy, isn’t it? Of course, you’ve probably already figured some images will fare better than others. Not as many people search for tortoise shell mixes in sinks… But it doesn’t hurt to tag your images correctly, because you’ll always do better with them tagged than not at all! The Alt and title tags are most essential, so when you’re coming up with those think of what you would search for if you were looking for this certain image. 
Let me know if you were already in on this trick, or if you just started to follow this little tip and how it’s working for you. If you still need more information, check out what Mr. Gary Lee has to say on this.
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I am now finally reaping the benefits of this. I haven’t done it with many of my photos, but that will change from now on! A few months ago I alt-tagged one of my photos and now my site is coming up in google images when searching those keywords. It can take a few months before google images displays your photos though I’ve found, but once they do your hits will go up!
I’m no blogging guru but I’d advice you to do that cautiously, that is, inappropriately describing an image (seriously, what has tortoise shell gotta do with the picture of a kitten in the sink?).
Personally, I would never return if I searched for “tortoise shell” and arrived on your blog only to find a picture of a cat in the sink. And I’m sure I speak for quite a number of other bloggers as well.
@Pelf - Great advice. You should always use proper tags for describing an image. Using improper tags won’t do you any good, anyway. I would never use tags that didn’t match an image.
I’m afraid you don’t understand, however. My cat is a tortoise shell breed, hence the term “tortoise shell kitten mix”, so that image was in fact given the proper keywords. If some searched for that term, they actually would find what they were looking for. If you like, search for it on Google yourself. I was using that picture to try and create a unique example for the topic. I could have used a picture of a celebrity as an example, or a plant, but I chose to use that one to help people understand. I just wanted to clear up any confusion and let you know I agree with you one hundred percent. Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for explaining the breed of your cat. I work with turtles, and I was pretty sure I didn’t see a tortoise shell in the picture of a cat, LOL.
@Pelf - Oh, I see. I guess I should have stated that my cat was a tortoise shell breed to better avoid this confusion.
[…] 4. You can get search engine traffic from images. If you tag your images properly, image search results from search engines could send some targeted visitors your way. For a detailed explanation on this and how to implement it, please read here. […]
Can you tell me at which location this code is to be inserted in the blog post. It may be a silly question but I have not understood the location part.I want to implement this on my blog for Free Share Tips and gain from your expertise.
Regards
http://www.indian-share-tips.blogspot.com
@Kavita Khera - I’d be glad to help, it’s simple really. When you are writing your blog post switch over to the HTML tab, you will have to enter all codes there. Do you know what the code is for a normal image? You put that piece of code into your post wherever you want the image to appear. Then you just add in the extra pieces, such as the alt, title, etc. See above for the example. If you like, just use the example when you’re placing your images and then change the URL, alt, title, height, and width to match up with your own image. Soon you would get the hang of it.
I hope this explained it well enough. For example, for the image in this post I inserted the code right after the third paragraph (which is where it appears). Just put the code wherever you want the image to be.
How we can come to know the dimensions of photographs(correct link which gives dimensions) Let me get cracking for my blog for day trading shares tips.
Thanx
http://www.day-trading-shares.blogspot.com
@Analyst - If the image is saved on your computer just view its properties and it will tell you its size dimensions. If it is online you can also just right click on it and select “properties” (or at least that’s what it’s called in my browser, it might be different for yours) and view its height and width. To practice go to up to the picture of my cat above, right click on it, select “properties” and see for yourself. Good luck, if you have anymore questions or if I didn’t answer that one completely enough just let me know!
1. Thanx for your quick response. I want further advise for converting my blog http://www.indian-share-tips.blogspot.com into a 3 columnar blog. My blog provides researched tips for Indian stock market.
2. May I request you to have a look at my blog and advise and if required I can send you the HTML code.
3. Sorry for a response under a wrong head.
Regards
Kavita
So this no doubt explains why whenever I do have someone visit the blog after an image search, it’s always the ones I have on Flickr. I will change over right away. Is it worth back-tracking and re-publishing posts? Probably some rather than all of them, I suppose.
A,
You’re right - not all of the posts you’ll need to go back and add images too, but your most popular ones and the ones with the most potential, I would recommend it.
[…] Begin tagging your images. When you have an image in your post, it should always be tagged properly. Make sure the width and height are clearly defined. But most importantly, fill out the alt and title tags with the image’s keywords. To learn further and learn how this helps, click here. […]
It’s pretty silly for the first comment to say he’d never return because a search engine led him to a site that wasn’t what he was looking for - unless the site was engaging in obvious spambaiting.
Search engines can make mistakes - I wrote a post that had a few references to “string theory” and the Google ads were for guitars - I assume their search engine would make the same mistake. My fault? Of course not.
And it wouldn’t be this web site’s fault that a search engine doesn’t know that “tortoise shell” can also describe a cat.
Anthony,
I agree with you - search engines can and DO make mistakes, and the fault doesn’t lie in the site that the person came across. Really, I doubt it’s anyone’s fault - search engines are automated, and they can’t be perfect all the time.
I think the thing that angered that commentator the most was that they thought I was describing the image with false keywords - which wasn’t the case, of course, there was a misunderstanding.
If a site was clearly spamming their image tags like that, then, like you said, I wouldn’t return. But if I got false results from a search engine, that doesn’t mean the site I arrived at isn’t a good one and doesn’t deserve to be visited again.
Thanks for your comments and opinions.
Be cautious using ALT tags as abuse of them can lead to some engines thinking you are spamming certain keywords in your post. I stopped using alt tags over a year ago and my engine positions went up a bit. Of cause search engines can be fickle, I dont know what the current view on ALT tags for SEO is.
@David Elton -
Wow, I didn’t know this. Is only bad to use ALT tags when you are purposely stuffing them? I only recommend using keywords that actually describe the image. Thanks for letting me know, I think I’ll look into it.
Hi,
I’ve found this SEO link & now I’m using some keywords in my ALT tags to see what happens. This link might be useful for you!
http://www.carlocab.com/category/search-engine-optimization/
@David Elton -
Thank you, I’ll check it out!
You can also combine this with a break out frames script, to turn the image visitor into an actual visitor. Makes it more difficult to return to Google images, but hey if it means more of your site gets seen..
Hey,
This is a very informational post.
Will let u know as soon as i start getting some traffic from the images in my blog…
http://www.forex-trading4you.blogspot.com
Hello,
Followed you here from DP. Maybe someone knows this answer. If so, could you email me @ gtull1@lsufootballfreak.com ? Just in case I miss it here.
I have sites using Dreamweaver. I always wonder if my images are tagges right. I have the “alt” like you, but the “title” is different. Instead of having a “title” description, Dreamweaver places a “name” description. I wonder if I need to change these from “name” to “title” for google image serps??
Thanks!!
@LSU National Champions!,
I looked at your site and viewed some of your image’s properties, and currently they don’t have a title tag assigned to them (but they do have an alt tag). I’m honestly not sure what the difference is, but you could try using a title tag instead to play it safe.
I just want to know if my site (above url “Websiteko Gadgets and Gizmos”) can earn a money through adsense in future?
WebsiteKo! Gadgets and Gizmos’s last blog post..Wireless broadband offers a legitimate option for remote sites
@WebsiteKo,
Yes, it could, if the ad placement is good. I’d recommend trying to rank for relevant and good keywords in the search engines (more searches, less competitors) and bring in search traffic for your income - regular visitors won’t click ads.
@ TayThanks for the tips….I really considered those words….
WebsiteKo! Hunks Encyclopedia’s last blog post..Zack Vazquez
@WebsiteKo,
No problem! If you need anymore help or details, just ask and I’ll help the best I can.